Four arrested in connection with burglary at Live Oak Stud

Published: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 5:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 14, 2013 at 5:03 p.m.

A registered sex offender, two brothers and a woman were arrested Thursday night in connection with a burglary and the theft of tools and a truck, all together worth more than $20,000, from Live Oak Stud.

Jeffrey Mason, 30; his brother Arthur Edward Mason, 27; registered sex offender Evodio Diaz, 31; and Carla Pilkons, 30, were arrested, according to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office report. All four were charged with grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle and two counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure.

Burglaries were discovered Wednesday at two buildings on the horse farm. Generators, tools, two gas cans and a 2008 white Ford F250 were stolen.

Later that day, as Property Crimes Unit Detectives Steve Osborne and Rick Palmateer investigated the case, a deputy found the truck abandoned on the side of the road in the 5100 block of Northwest 27th Avenue.

The next day, Palmateer received a tip that the stolen generators were at a residence off Northeast 31st Street in Ocala. The detective and other deputies went there and recovered them.

During the investigation, officials interviewed Pilkons, who admitted taking part in the burglary, according to the Sheriff’s Office report. Arthur Mason did, too, and told investigators that Diaz had sold one of the generators. Jeffrey Mason told detectives a similar story.

For his part, Diaz declined to talk to investigators.

According to a Sheriff’s Office news release, the investigation revealed that the four traveled to the area of Like Oak Stud and parked nearby. Diaz and Arthur Mason walked onto the farm.

Soon afterward, Diaz called Jeffrey Mason, told him they had just stolen a truck and asked them to meet them down the road, according to the news release. They all then traveled back to the residence, where the generators, tools and gas cans were all unloaded and hidden inside the home.

Officials were able to recover all the stolen items, except for one generator.

State records show the Mason brothers both have served time in prison, Jeffrey for crimes including burglary, grand theft and trafficking in stolen property, and Arthur for aggravated assault with a weapon.

Diaz’s multiple convictions include lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 16, grand theft and burglary, state records show. He was released in July 2012.

<p>A registered sex offender, two brothers and a woman were arrested Thursday night in connection with a burglary and the theft of tools and a truck, all together worth more than $20,000, from Live Oak Stud.</p><p>Jeffrey Mason, 30; his brother Arthur Edward Mason, 27; registered sex offender Evodio Diaz, 31; and Carla Pilkons, 30, were arrested, according to a Marion County Sheriff's Office report. All four were charged with grand theft, grand theft of a motor vehicle and two counts of burglary of an unoccupied structure.</p><p>Burglaries were discovered Wednesday at two buildings on the horse farm. Generators, tools, two gas cans and a 2008 white Ford F250 were stolen.</p><p>Later that day, as Property Crimes Unit Detectives Steve Osborne and Rick Palmateer investigated the case, a deputy found the truck abandoned on the side of the road in the 5100 block of Northwest 27th Avenue.</p><p>The next day, Palmateer received a tip that the stolen generators were at a residence off Northeast 31st Street in Ocala. The detective and other deputies went there and recovered them.</p><p>During the investigation, officials interviewed Pilkons, who admitted taking part in the burglary, according to the Sheriff's Office report. Arthur Mason did, too, and told investigators that Diaz had sold one of the generators. Jeffrey Mason told detectives a similar story.</p><p>For his part, Diaz declined to talk to investigators.</p><p>According to a Sheriff's Office news release, the investigation revealed that the four traveled to the area of Like Oak Stud and parked nearby. Diaz and Arthur Mason walked onto the farm.</p><p>Soon afterward, Diaz called Jeffrey Mason, told him they had just stolen a truck and asked them to meet them down the road, according to the news release. They all then traveled back to the residence, where the generators, tools and gas cans were all unloaded and hidden inside the home.</p><p>Officials were able to recover all the stolen items, except for one generator.</p><p>State records show the Mason brothers both have served time in prison, Jeffrey for crimes including burglary, grand theft and trafficking in stolen property, and Arthur for aggravated assault with a weapon.</p><p>Diaz's multiple convictions include lewd and lascivious battery on a child under 16, grand theft and burglary, state records show. He was released in July 2012.</p><p><i>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>